C43 Soul Imprint Needle

"You think you can attack me with such a feeble effort? Laughable."

Bao Houdi burst into laughter, utterly dismissive of the Soul Imprint Needle that Zhuang Xing had mentioned. An attack devoid of any Spiritual Force couldn't possibly inflict any damage.

A smirk played at the corner of Zhuang Xing's mouth; his adversary had taken the bait. Now, it was time to show this old bastard a thing or two.

"I've lost my patience with this fight. Prepare to die."

With a raise of his hand, Bao Houdi unleashed a devastating palm force. The Spiritual Force erupted, a torrential surge aimed to obliterate Zhuang Xing completely.

"Perfect opportunity."

Zhuang Xing surged forward, his mind intent on one action. A beam of Soul Power shot out, racing towards Bao Houdi's head with the speed of lightning.

Bao Houdi's face twisted in alarm. From that burst of light, he sensed a terrifying lethal intent, which made no sense. Zhuang Xing's attack had shown no trace of Spiritual Force. If it lacked Spiritual Force, why did he feel threatened?

Yet, regardless of the attack's nature, it was futile against him, a Spirit Sea Stage Expert. His strength vastly surpassed that of his opponent. No matter how sly or what tricks were employed, they were all futile before his overwhelming power.

With this in mind, Bao Houdi scoffed, channeling all his strength into a palm strike aimed directly at Zhuang Xing's chest. He was convinced that a direct hit would be fatal.

"Meet your end!"

Bao Houdi sneered, his palm force crashing down mercilessly towards Zhuang Xing's chest.

"Imperishable Golden Body Spell!"

Zhuang Xing bellowed, decisively invoking the Imperishable Golden Body Spell. A shimmering golden light enveloped him, forming a protective film around his body. This golden barrier, a product of the Imperishable Golden Body Spell, boasted formidable Defense Power capable of withstanding intense Attack Power.

While using the Soul Imprint Needle, Zhuang Xing needed to concentrate on his sea of consciousness without any distractions. This meant he had to expose himself to Bao Houdi's attacks and bear the brunt of them.

It was an incredibly risky bet. Previously, Zhuang Xing would never have considered such a move. Already injured, his body was not at its peak strength. In this weakened state, it seemed impossible for him to endure Bao Houdi's onslaught.

However, Zhuang Xing's Imperishable Golden Body Spell had broken through to Level One, and the golden light it conjured boasted formidable Defense Power, potentially strong enough to withstand Bao Houdi's assault.

With this in mind, Zhuang Xing was willing to take the risk. He was determined to find out whether the Imperishable Golden Body Spell could hold up against Bao Houdi's full-powered strike.

"Die for me," Bao Houdi bellowed with laughter, as if he had already witnessed Zhuang Xing's defeat.

Bao Houdi's palm force finally struck Zhuang Xing's chest, unleashing a burst of power that flooded into his body.

Zhuang Xing let out a pained scream as he was sent flying. Bao Houdi's palm force was domineering and savage; a single blow could shatter metal, and a human body stood even less of a chance.

"You overestimate yourself," Bao Houdi sneered as he watched Zhuang Xing's bloodied form hurtling through the air. A mere Spirit Wheel Stage Level Four Heaven cultivator daring to cross the Celestial Eagle Gang and challenge him was tantamount to suicide.

But in that moment, a streak of colorful light surged down and vanished into Bao Houdi's sea of consciousness, leaving no trace behind.

"Mission accomplished," Zhuang Xing thought to himself with a smile. The strategy he had meticulously devised had finally paid off.

The Soul Imprint Needles were exceedingly delicate, easily neutralized by any cultivator without much effort. The previous two needles Zhuang Xing had launched were effortlessly destroyed by Bao Houdi, leaving him unharmed.

However, there is one place that stands as an exception: the sea of consciousness. It is the birthplace of Soul Power, the cradle where it is nurtured. The insertion of the Soul Imprint Needle into the sea of consciousness would lead to catastrophic consequences.

"You're incredibly lucky to have survived my full-powered palm strike."

Bao Houdi looked down at Zhuang Xing, who lay on the ground, heavily injured and spitting blood, with a cold smile in his eyes. Zhuang Xing's luck was astonishing. Bao Houdi's palm force was immensely domineering, capable of overwhelming even a Spirit Wheel Stage Level Nine Heaven Expert, yet Zhuang Xing had not perished.

"But now, you must be completely incapacitated, right? I'm going to cripple you, break your arms and legs, then take you back and put you in a jar, ensuring you wish you were dead."

Killing Bao Houdi's son was an unforgivable sin. Simply killing Zhuang Xing would be letting him off too easily. Bao Houdi intended to subject him to every conceivable form of torture, to make him beg for death.

However, before Bao Houdi could even take a step, he suddenly felt an excruciating pain in his head, as if something was gnawing at his brain.

Clutching his head, Bao Houdi screamed in agony. That horrifying sound was akin to an evil spirit emerging from the depths of hell, chilling to the core.

Zhuang Xing sneered. The pain caused by the Soul Imprint Needle in the sea of consciousness far surpassed any physical pain. It was akin to a spiritual torment, and the suffering of the spirit often exceeded bodily pain by manyfold.

"Old bastard, you were so full of yourself before. What happened to all that arrogance now?"

The old bastard had been so haughty, utterly dismissive of him. It was only fitting that he be punished accordingly.

"Sect Master, what's wrong with you?"

At that moment, the rest of the group approached. They had rushed back upon hearing the dreadful screams, only to find their Sect Master in such a wretched state.

"What have you done to our Sect Master?"

The Sect Master was a man of great wisdom; he wouldn't lose his composure without cause. It was clear, without a doubt, that this had something to do with Zhuang Xing.

"Since you hold your Sect Master in such high regard, perhaps you'd prefer to meet your end at his hands?"

Zhuang Xing let out a cold laugh, his eerie grin reminiscent of a demon emerging from the depths of hell, utterly terrifying.

"What are you talking about? Our Sect Master would never harm us."

No sooner had he spoken than a surge of palm force struck him. The disciple let out a scream as the blow killed him instantly, sending his body flying several meters. He died with his eyes wide open, unable to comprehend how the Sect Master they had always revered could suddenly turn on him.

The remaining two were petrified. Instinctively, they backed away from Bao Houdi, their hearts pounding with fear.